A Bond Unshakeable
by Sarah August
Summary: Elijah returns to pay his respects to Elena after the death of Jeremy Gilbert . And to see if there is a glimmer of the old Elena still left.


**Title: **A Bond Unshakeable

**Summary: **Elijah returns to Mystic Falls upon the death of Jeremy Gilbert, having to see for himself if there is a glimmer of the old Elena still left.

**Notes: **I wondered what it would be like if Elijah had returned after Jeremy's death to pay his respects. This is taken from that idea. A one page story only.

**Author: **Sarah August

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The funeral service for Jeremy Gilbert happened to the dead silence of a nearly empty church. This was because the sole remaining member of Jeremy's family was dead too. Now a vampire with no emotions, and with no reason left to care about anything, ever again.

One could see Elena watch the service blankly, staring as if wondering why she should care at all about this. Her brother was dead, her sole reason for still wanting attachment to her former life.

There had been Stefan, her great love, but the impression Elijah got from their breakup was that as a vampire, Elena felt she was something different from the girl that Stefan had loved. Something that wasn't worth caring about or loving. So she had allowed the relationship to fall apart without a fight and found herself drawn to the brother that didn't expect her to be someone that was worth caring about. Damon, in fact, didn't care about what Elena was like now at all. He didn't want to help her or save her from herself or the vampire that she had become. That was fine with Elena. Damon simply wanted her and didn't care_ what _Elena he got with the package as long as she wanted to be with him.

Elijah had attended the service at the church, but had stayed clear of the girl who didn't know how to grieve for the loss she had just endured because she had switched off everything that had made her Elena. She was a vampire and one that was happy to let go of any care that she had left if it meant that she didn't have to feel pain anymore. Damon clearly tried to be of comfort to Elena, but he failed to notice something that was obvious to Elijah. Elena was going through the emotions of all of this for those around her. This Elena truly could care less if she was here today or ever thought twice about her brother, ever again.

The service ended and Elijah had left the church before Elena could see him. He had not seen her since before his sister had killed her, sending her off that bridge to her grave. Part of Elijah hated himself for not coming sooner. Perhaps he could have helped prevented Elena from getting to this point. Also a part of Elijah hated himself for feeling the way he did about her.

He wouldn't have admitted it in the beginning, from when he first met Elena Gilbert. But those clear doe eyes hooked him every single time.

He couldn`t help himself.

It was partly why he had stayed away from her. Despite how he felt, he knew that Elena cared, but she did not return the feelings he had for her, and would never. The Elena he knew was in love with Stefan Salvatore and drawn to the dangerous brother who cared for her, but cared for nothing else. There was no room left for her to feel something for anyone else.

Elijah was about to get into his car outside the church when he felt those familiar eyes watching him from the church exit. He looked up with a sigh, feeling as if he'd been caught. Caught caring just a little too much for a girl that he had no right to care about to begin with.

He blinked and she was before him.

Elijah smiled slowly, sadly at her. He could see a wildness in her eyes, a bitter look of anger and hurt. Not just because she had just lost her brother, but because he had vanished without a word from her life. All because he had been too much of a coward to face her after what Rebekah had done to her.

"Elena..." He started, unsure of what to say, although he had pictured this moment a thousand times.

She was taken a back at the sound of his voice, seemingly pulling her free from a distant place inside of her mind. "Elijah..." She spoke warmly, reminding him of the Elena of old. The one who cared about everyone and everything. And just like that, the flicker of the old Elena was gone in an instant.

"I am..." He began, breaking off at seeing the look upon the young vampire's face. She knew what he was going to say and she didn't want to hear it. She had heard it too much, said it different ways. Elena didn't need to be reminded that she had just lost her brother.

Just as he had lost his own.

It was still a bitter, hurtful knowledge to live with. Kol had been such a sweet, kind boy as a child. How that boy had changed, and not changed for the better. Now he was gone, Elijah's hope with him. Hope that his siblings might change, might return to who they once were.

Rebekah, Niklaus, Kol... they had been good people and not deserved the fates their parents had cursed them with.

And the girl he had grown to care about had a hand in sending his brother to a grave that he had escaped for so long. To save her own brother, but it was still a bitter knowledge to accept. What good had come from it? Nothing. In the end, Elena had lost her brother anyway, and Kol was gone as well.

"I know..." Elena finally spoke, breaking the silence that had separated them. Again, Elijah saw the flash of the human girl he had cared about. The part of Elena that grieved for her brother, so carefully buried away now, and the part of her that was sorry that he had lost another brother too. "Thank you, for being here. I know that..."

He stopped her from speaking by taking her hands in his own and holding them carefully. He looked down at them, surprised that it felt so good, this simple gesture. And Elijah wondered briefly why it had taken so long for him to do this. To show Elena that he did care about her. She was not just a means to an end. It was beyond that now.

They seemed to stand in place like that forever. The sunlight felt good against the skin. It was a warm fall day and when he finally dared to look up he spotted the eldest Salvatore exiting the church, looking for his new mate.

Elijah then finally dared to meet Elena's eyes. There was an understanding there. It had been something he had been looking for and needed. Perhaps she had needed this too. Someone to just understand, not judge, not insist that she stops grieving, stops missing her brother so it's easier for everyone else.

Elijah finally released her hands with a slight smile and she did the same. He then quickly moved to his car using vampire speed, leaving Mystic Falls again, trying to let Elena have the peace that had been taken so cruelly away from her in life. Perhaps it would be hers as a vampire.


End file.
